Home Minister say he did not order arrest under ISA...so who did?

The Home Minister said that he did not order that the 3 be arrested under the ISA...

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid said he did not order the arrests of the three people under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

He said the action was taken by the police themselves under Section 73(1) based on their assessment of the current situation as they had “strong and good reason” to believe that conflict could happen and public order could be jeopardised.

“Under this action, the police need not refer to me. It’s their discretion and their assessment of what happened. There has been no malice on their part,” he said Saturday at a press conference at Bukit Aman here.

As Home Minister he said he was informed of the police decision but did not interfere with it.

Asked if he thought the police action was justified, Syed Hamid said: “If I start to interfere with the administration of enforcement then it’s difficult.”

“I am a minister. I am a politician. If I start to interfere, then people will say I have a political motive. It will send the wrong signals. I cannot interfere. This has to be done in accordance with the police exercise of their powers,” he said. - Star, 13/9/2008 -Order to arrest did not come from me'

Was he "informed of the police decision" and gave his green light before the arrest?

Or did the police arrest first - and later inform the Home Minister?

So, was it the Prime Minister who ordered it...for after all, he did suggest that the ISA may be used just the day before...

“We need to do what is best for the country. We need to save Malaysia from racial fights and tension,” he stressed.

To a question, Abdullah said the Internal Security Act might be used “if needed” to curb racial tension.

He added that the Home Minister would “think twice or even three times” before deciding to take that step.

“If the minister thinks that it is an appropriate action to be taken, then he will take it,” he added. - Star, 11/9/2008, PM: Race relations not at healthy level

Or was it just the police acting on their own - and if so, it will be interesting as to which police officer decided to arrest under the ISA... for after all section 73(1) states:-

‘Any police officer may without a warrant arrest and detain pending inquiry any persons in respect of whom he has reason to believe (i) that there are grounds which would justify his detention under section 8, AND (ii) that he has acted or is about to act or is likely to act in any manner prejudicial to the security of Malaysia ... or to the maintenance of essential services ...’. (s 73(1) Internal Security Act)

If it is just the police, it will be interesting to know which police officer decided to arrest for each of the three(3) different arrests under the ISA...

It was indeed a remarkable coincidence considering the timing of the arrests..

Or did the decision and order to arrest come from the IGP or Deputy IGP --- would this be right?

If it is the police acting on their own - without even the direction of the Home Minister - then it is very dangerous - because tomorrow, it may be Abdullah Ahmad Badawi himself being arrested under the ISA...or maybe even the good old Home Minister himself...

Home Minister implies that it was the police acting on his own BUT then he goes to the media saying that there will be no more arrests under the ISA...

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said no more arrests are expected under the Internal Security Act (ISA) but it would depend on the situation of public order.

”We are not making arrests just for the sake of arrests.

”We will not make any more arrests under ISA as long as there is no more disturbance to peace and public order,” he said. - Star, 13/9/2008, No more arrests: Syed Hamid (updated)

If the Home Minister did not order the arrest - then maybe we should be asking the police whether there will be anymore arrests...

Do take the time and educate yourself about the ISA and Detention Without Trial Laws by reading the post before this...

I do hope that the ISA and all Detention Without Trial laws be repealed immediately..

Hope that those arrested and detained under the ISA and such Detention Without Trial laws be released immediately...


*** (The Info below is from the Aliran's ISA Watch page at Aliran Website)

Note: 10,662 people have been arrested under the ISA in the past 44 years, 4,139 were issued with formal detention orders and 2,066 were served with restriction orders governing their activities and where they live. In addition, 12 people were executed for offences under the ISA between 1984 and 1993. Source: Figures were provided in a written answer by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who is also Minister for Internal Security, to parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang, whose statement was quoted by AFP in newsreports dated 3 Feb 2005